Electric insulating device of air conditioner, and air conditioner with the device

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides an electric insulation device of an air conditioner divided into an indoor unit and an outdoor unit which can improve work efficiency during installation of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. An electric insulation device is arranged between a gas side connection line and a gas side refrigerant line of an outdoor unit, and electrically insulates the gas side connection line and the gas side refrigerant line on the outdoor unit side. The electric insulation device includes a refrigerant line connection portion that is connected to a gas side refrigerant line of the indoor unit, a connection line connection portion that is connected to the gas side connection line, an insulation portion capable of both electrically insulating the refrigerant line connection portion and the gas side connection line and circulating refrigerant, and a terminal portion on which an electric connection line is mounted.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an electric insulation device of an airconditioner and an air conditioner having the same, and moreparticularly relates to an electric insulation device of an airconditioner that is divided into an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, andan air conditioner having the same, the electric insulation deviceserving to electrically insulate between the refrigerant lines of theindoor unit or the refrigerant lines of the outdoor unit and connectionlines that serve to connect the refrigerant lines of the indoor unit andthe refrigerant lines of the outdoor unit and circulate refrigerant.

BACKGROUND ART

In an air conditioner which is divided into an indoor unit and anoutdoor unit, the connection between the indoor unit and the outdoorunit is generally performed by means of a gas side connection line and aliquid side connection line which serve to connect the indoor unitrefrigerant lines and the outdoor unit refrigerant lines, and by meansof electric connection lines that serve to transmit electric signalsbetween the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

With this type of air conditioner, time and effort will be needed inorder to perform the installation thereof, because one will need toconnect each connection line to the indoor unit refrigerant lines andthe outdoor unit refrigerant lines, and connect the electric connectionlines. Because of this, it is desirable to improve the work efficiencyof the installation. In particular, with a system for a building or thelike which has a plurality of air conditioners, it is desirable toimprove the work efficiency of installing the air conditioners, from theperspective of shortening the time needed for installation.

A configuration in which the gas side connection lines and the liquidside connection lines are used as the electric connection lines isdisclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H07-65783 as a meansof solving the aforementioned problem. Specifically, by providing anelectric insulation device in the connection portions between the gasside connection line and the liquid side connection line and the indoorunit refrigerant line and the outdoor unit refrigerant line, the gasside connection line and the liquid side connection line between therefrigerant lines of the indoor unit and the refrigerant lines of theoutdoor unit are electrically insulated and used as electric connectionlines.

However, because the conventional electric insulation device describedabove is either installed in the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, or ismounted on the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, it will be difficult todeal with problems such as refrigerant leakage, short-circuits, or thelike in the electric insulation device when the indoor device and theoutdoor device are being installed, the locations where the indoor unitand the outdoor unit can be installed are limited, and the like, andthus improvement in work efficiency during installation may not besatisfactorily realized.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an electric insulationdevice of an air conditioner divided into an indoor unit and an outdoorunit which can improve work efficiency during installation of the indoorunit and the outdoor unit.

The electric insulation device of an air conditioner divided into anindoor unit and an outdoor unit disclosed in claim 1 serves toelectrically insulate connection lines that serve to connect refrigerantlines of the indoor unit and refrigerant lines of the outdoor unit andcirculate refrigerant, from the refrigerant lines of the indoor unit orthe refrigerant lines of the outdoor unit, and includes a refrigerantline connection portion, a connection line connection portion, and aninsulation portion.

Refrigerant line connection portions are installed on the exterior ofthe indoor unit and the outdoor unit, and are respectively connected tothe refrigerant line of the indoor unit and the refrigerant line of theoutdoor unit. Connection line connection portions are connected to theconnection lines. The insulation portions can both electrically insulatethe refrigerant line connection portions and the connection lineconnection portions, and circulate refrigerant.

With the electrical insulation device of an air conditioner, theconnection between the refrigerant lines and the refrigerant lineconnection portions of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is performedon the exterior of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. In other words,the electric insulation device is an integral unit that is formed fromthe refrigerant line connection portion, the connection line connectionportion, and the insulation portion, and is disposed on the exterior ofthe indoor unit and the outdoor unit. Because of this, duringinstallation of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, even if problemsoccur in the electric insulation unit such as refrigerant leakage andshort-circuits, the work efficiency of the installation of the indoorunit and the outdoor unit will improve because the electric insulationdevice can be easily replaced, and the locations where the indoor unitand the outdoor unit can be installed are not limited.

The electric insulation device of an air conditioner disclosed in claim2 is the device of claim 1, in which a terminal portion on which anelectric connection line is mounted in order to transmit electricsignals from the indoor unit and the outdoor unit to the connectionlines is arranged between the connection line connection portion and theinsulation portion.

With the electric insulation device of an air conditioner, the indoorunit and the outdoor unit will be easily wired with the electricinsulation device, because the electric insulation device is an integralunit that further includes the terminal portion on which the electricconnection line is mounted.

An air conditioner disclosed in claim 3 includes an indoor unit, anoutdoor unit, connection lines, and electric insulation devicesdisclosed in claims 1 or 2. The connection lines connect the refrigerantlines of the indoor unit and the refrigerant lines of the outdoor unit,and circulate refrigerant. The electric insulation devices arerespectively arranged between the refrigerant lines and the connectionlines of the indoor unit, and between the refrigerant lines and theconnection lines of the outdoor unit.

With this air conditioner, the work efficiency of the installation ofthe indoor unit and the outdoor unit can be improved, because separateunits of the electric insulation devices are employed on the indoor unitand the outdoor unit, and because electric insulation is performedbetween the refrigerant lines and the connection lines of the indoordevice, and between the refrigerant lines and the connection lines ofthe outdoor device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a structural view of an air conditioner according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an electric insulation device of a first embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows an electric insulation device of a second embodiment.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below withreference to the figures.

(1) Configuration of Air Conditioner and Structure of ElectricInsulation Device

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an air conditioner 1 according to thisembodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner 1 includes an indoorunit 2 that is installed on the inner side of an outer wall 10 of abuilding, an outdoor unit 3 that is installed on the outer side of theouter wall 10, a gas side connection line 4 (connection line), a liquidside connection line 5 (connection line), electric insulation devices11, 12 which are respectively provided between the gas side connectionline 4 and a gas side refrigerant line 2 a on the indoor unit 2 side andbetween the liquid side connection line 5 and a liquid side refrigerantline 2 b on the indoor unit 2 side, electric insulation devices 13, 14which are respectively provided between the gas side connection line 4and a gas side refrigerant line 3 a on the outdoor unit 3 side andbetween the liquid side connection line 5 and a liquid side refrigerantline 3 b on the outdoor unit 3 side, electric connection lines 2 c, 2 dthat are respectively connected from the indoor unit 2 to the electricinsulation devices 11, 12, and electric connection lines 3 c, 3 d thatare respectively connected from the outdoor unit 3 to the electricinsulation devices 13, 14.

The gas side connection line 4 and the liquid side connection line 5are, for example, made from a metal such as copper or the like, andserve to connect the refrigerant lines of the indoor unit 2 and therefrigerant lines of the outdoor unit 3 and allow refrigerant tocirculate. The refrigerant lines 2 a, 2 b on the indoor unit 2 side andthe refrigerant lines 3 a, 3 b on the outdoor unit 3 side are, forexample, made of a metal such as copper or the like, and are connectedto equipment installed inside the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3.

The electric insulation device 11 is arranged between the gas sideconnection line 4 and the gas side refrigerant line 2 a of the indoorunit 2, and electrically insulates the gas side connection line 4 andthe gas side refrigerant line 2 a on the indoor unit 2 side. Theelectric insulation device 12 is arranged between the liquid sideconnection line 5 and the liquid side refrigerant line 2 b of the indoorunit 2, and electrically insulates the liquid side connection line 5 andthe liquid side refrigerant line 2 b on the indoor unit 2 side. Theelectric insulation device 13 is arranged between the gas sideconnection line 4 and the gas side refrigerant line 3 a of the outdoorunit 3, and electrically insulates the gas side connection line 4 andthe gas side refrigerant line 3 a on the outdoor unit 3 side. Theelectric insulation device 14 is arranged between the liquid sideconnection line 5 and the liquid side refrigerant line 3 b of theoutdoor unit 3, and electrically insulates the liquid side connectionline 5 and the liquid side refrigerant line 3 b on the outdoor unit 3side. In other words, the gas side connection line 4 and the liquid sideconnection line 5 between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 areelectrically insulated from the refrigerant lines 2 a, 2 b, 3 a, 3 b onthe indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 sides by means of the electricinsulation devices 11-14.

The electric insulation lines 2 c, 2 d, 3 c, 3 d are conductors whichserve to transmit electric signals such as control signals and the likebetween the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3, and are respectivelyelectrically connected to the gas side connection line 4 and the liquidside connection line 5 via the electric insulation devices 11, 12, 13,14. In other words, the gas side connection line 4 functions as anelectric line in order to connect the electric connection lines 2 c and3 c, and the liquid side connection line 5 functions as an electric linein order to connect the electric connection lines 2 d and 3 d.

Next, the structure of the electric insulation device 11 will bedescribed. Note that although the connection positions of the otherelectric insulation devices 12, 13, 14 with each line are different, adescription of the other electric insulation devices 12, 13, 14 will beomitted because they have the same structure as that of the electricinsulation device 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electric insulation device 11, includes arefrigerant line connection portion 21 that is connected to the gas siderefrigerant line 2 a of the indoor unit 2, a connection line connectionportion 22 that is connected to the gas side connection line 4, aninsulation portion 23 capable of both electrically insulating therefrigerant line connection portion 21 and the gas side connection line4 and circulating refrigerant, and a terminal portion 24 on which theelectric connection line 2 c is mounted.

The refrigerant line connection portion 21 is, for example, made of ametal such as copper or the like, and is connected to the gas siderefrigerant line 2 a of the indoor unit 2 by means of a flare nut 21 athat is arranged on the refrigerant line 2 a side of the indoor unit 2side. The connection line connection portion 22 is connected to the gasside connection line 4 by means of a flare nut 22 a that is arranged onthe gas side connection line 4 side. Thus, the refrigerant lineconnection portion 21 forms an end portion of the gas side connectionline 4 side of the gas side refrigerant line 2 a, and the connectionline connection portion 22 forms an end portion of the gas siderefrigerant line 2 a side of the gas side connection line 4.

The insulation portion 23 is formed from an annular first flange 21 bthat is formed on the end portion of the gas side connection line 4 sideof the refrigerant line connection portion 21, an annular second flange22 b that is formed on the end portion of the indoor unit 2 side of theconnection line connection portion 22, a gasket 25 that is arrangedbetween the first flange 21 b and the second flange 22 b, a plurality ofthrough bolts 26 and nuts 27 that serve to join the first flange 21 band the second flange 22 b, a sleeve 28 that lies between the throughbolts 26 and the bolt holes of the first flange 21 b and the secondflange 22 b, and a washer 29 that is interposed between head portions 26a of the through bolts 26 and the first flange 21 b. In addition, thehead portions 26 a of the through bolts 26 are covered by a coatingmaterial composed of an electric insulation material such as ceramic,resin, or the like. Here, the first flange 21 b, the second flange 22 b,and the plurality of through bolts 26 and the nuts 27 are made of ametal. The gasket 25 is an annular member that is composed of anelectric insulation material such as rubber, resin, or the like. Thesleeve 28 is a cylindrical member that is composed of an electricinsulation material such as a resin. Furthermore, the insulation portion23 is covered by a thermal insulation material.

The insulation portion 23 described above allows the refrigerant lineconnection portion 21 and the connection line connection portion 22 tobe electrically insulated, and allows refrigerant to circulate. Thus,the gas side refrigerant line 2 a of the indoor unit 2 and the gas sideconnection line 4 are electrically insulated via the insulation portion23. Then, electric signals can be transmitted via the gas sideconnection line 4 between the electric connection line 2 c of the indoorunit 2 and the electric connection line 3 c of the outdoor unit 3. Inaddition, electric signals can be transmitted via the liquid sideconnection line 5 between the electric connection line 2 d of the indoorunit 2 and the electric connection line 3 d of the outdoor unit 3.

(2) Special Characteristics of the Electric Insulation Device

The special characteristics of the electric insulation device of thepresent embodiment are as follows:

{circle over (1)} Unitization of the Electric Insulation Device

With the electric insulation devices 11-14 of the air conditioner ofthis embodiment, the connections between the refrigerant lines and therefrigerant line connection portions of the indoor unit 2 and the indoorunit 3 are performed on the exterior of the indoor unit 2 and theoutdoor unit 3. In other words, each of the electric insulation devices11-14 is an integral unit that is formed from the refrigerant lineconnection portion 21, the connection line connection portion 22, andthe insulation portion 23, and are disposed on the exterior of theindoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3. Because of this, duringinstallation of the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3, even ifproblems occur in the electric insulation units 11-14 such asrefrigerant leakage and short-circuits, the work efficiency of theinstallation of the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 will improvebecause the electric insulation devices can be easily replaced, and thelocations where the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 can beinstalled are not limited. In addition, with the electric insulationdevice 11-14 of the air conditioner of the present embodiment, theindoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 can be easily wired with theelectric insulation devices 11-14, because each of the electricinsulation devices 11-14 further include the terminal portion 24 onwhich the electric connection lines 2 c, 2 d, 3 c, 3 d.

{circle over (2)} Improvement in Reliability of the Electric InsulationDevice

With the electric insulation devices 11-14 of the air conditioner ofthis embodiment, both the work efficiency during installation can beimproved, and the reliability with respect to refrigerant leakage,short-circuits, and the like can be improved, because the joining of thefirst flange 21 b and the second flange 22 b of the insulation portion24 can be performed at the factory or the like, and it will not benecessary to perform this task at the installation site.

{circle over (3)} Application to Previously Installed Air Conditioners

With the electric insulation devices 11-14 of the air conditioner ofthis embodiment, the electric insulation devices 11-14 can be applied topreviously installed air conditioners because, as noted above, they areunits that are separate from the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3.

Second Embodiment

The present embodiment has the same basic structure as that of the firstembodiment, and only the structure of the insulation portion of theelectric insulation device is different. An insulation portion 123 ofthe present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 3.Note that here, an electric insulation device 111 that corresponds tothe electric insulation device 11 of the first embodiment will bedescribed, and a description of other electric insulation devices 112,113, 114 will be omitted.

The insulation portion 123 of the electric insulation device 111includes is formed from an annular first flange 121 b that is formed onthe end portion of the gas side connection line 4 side of a refrigerantline connection portion 121, an annular second flange 122 b that isformed on the end portion of the indoor unit 2 side of the connectionline connection portion 122, a gasket 125 that is arranged between thefirst flange 121 b and the second flange 122 b, a plurality of pushbolts 126 that serve to join the first flange 121 b and the secondflange 122 b, and a sleeve 128 that lies between the bolt holes of thefirst flange 121 b and the push bolts 126. The sleeve 128 includes awasher portion 128 a that is interposed between head portions 126 a ofthe push bolts 126 and the first flange 121 b. In addition, the headportions 126 a of the push bolts 126 are covered by a coating materialcomposed of an electric insulation material such as ceramic, resin, orthe like. Here, the first flange 121 b, the second flange 122 b, and theplurality of push bolts 126 are made of a metal. The gasket 125 is anannular member that is composed of an electric insulation material suchas rubber, resin, or the like. The sleeve 128 is a cylindrical memberthat is composed of an electric insulation material such as resin. Then,the insulation portion 123 is covered by a thermal insulation material130.

In the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the firstembodiment can be obtained.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Although embodiments of the present invention were described above basedupon the figures, the specific configuration of the present invention isnot limited to these embodiments, and can be modified within a rangethat does not depart from the essence of the invention.

For example, in the first and second embodiments, the connection betweenthe refrigerant line connection portions and the connection lineconnection portions and each refrigerant line and connection line is aflare nut connection, but may instead be connected by means of brazing.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

By using the present invention, the work efficiency of the installationof the indoor unit and the outdoor unit can be improved, because theelectric insulation unit is a separate unit from the indoor unit and theoutdoor unit.

1. An electric insulation device of an air conditioner divided into anindoor unit and an outdoor unit, the electric insulation device servingto electrically insulate connection lines that connect refrigerant linesof the indoor unit with refrigerant lines of the outdoor unit andcirculate refrigerant, from the refrigerant lines of the indoor unit orthe refrigerant lines of the outdoor unit, the electric insulationdevice comprising: a refrigerant line connection portion that isinstalled on an exterior of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, andconnected respectively to the refrigerant line of the indoor unit andthe refrigerant line of the outdoor unit; a connection line connectionportion that is connected to the connection line; and an insulationportion that can both electrically insulate the refrigerant lineconnection portion and the connection line connection portion, andcirculate refrigerant.
 2. The electric insulation device of an airconditioner disclosed in claim 1, wherein a terminal portion on which anelectric connection line is mounted in order to transmit electricsignals from the indoor unit and the outdoor unit to the connectionlines is arranged between the connection line connection portion and theinsulation portion.
 3. An air conditioner, comprising: an indoor unit;an outdoor unit; connection lines that connect refrigerant lines of theindoor unit and refrigerant lines of the outdoor unit, and circulaterefrigerant; and electric insulation devices disclosed in claim 1 thatare respectively arranged between the refrigerant lines and theconnection lines of the indoor unit, and between the refrigerant linesand the connection lines of the outdoor unit.
 4. An air conditioner,comprising: an indoor unit; an outdoor unit; connection lines thatconnect refrigerant lines of the indoor unit and refrigerant lines ofthe outdoor unit, and circulate refrigerant; and electric insulationdevices disclosed in claim 2 that are respectively arranged between therefrigerant lines and the connection lines of the indoor unit, andbetween the refrigerant lines and the connection lines of the outdoorunit.